Artwork by Diana Bartelings

J Pod Grieves

After 3 long years, on July24, 2018, J Pod finally welcomes a new calf. Sadly it died within minutes of being born. It’s grief stricken mother, J35 also known as Tahlequah, carried the calf pushing it to the surface for 17 days. She was past the point of exhaustion and when she just couldn’t carry her calf other members of the pod would give her a little respite. Finally she laid it to rest in the ocean it was born in. Salmon are in short supply for these whales. That and all the tanker traffic is taking its toll.